


The Perils of Picnicking

by nonelvis



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-28
Updated: 2011-12-28
Packaged: 2017-10-28 08:32:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/305929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonelvis/pseuds/nonelvis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor discovers there are all sorts of consequences to picnicking without a license on Cygnus IV.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Perils of Picnicking

**Author's Note:**

> Belatedly posting a fic I wrote for Nostalgia's birthday. She requested Doctor/Romana with swans and happiness.

"Now, really," said the Doctor to the phalanx of heavily armed swans surrounding him, "if you're going to have me for ... what'd you call it? Picnicking without a licence? The least you could do is warn a fellow before pulling a gun on him. And how are you holding those things anyway? Got any opposable thumbs I'm not aware of?"

The lead swan honked indignantly at him and flipped its heads-up display into place.

"All right, all right, keep your feathers on. I'm sure you're quite the marksman. Markswan. Blimey, that's hard to say."

Another honk, followed quickly by the distinct click of a safety being turned off.

"Look, if you'll just tell me where to get the licence, I'm sure we can clear up this misunderstanding –"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tall brunette break through the cordon of swans. She slipped her hand into his pocket with unusual familiarity.

"Can't leave you on your own for a moment, can I?" she said, digging deep into the lining, her hand getting distressingly close to ...

" _Romana?!_ "

"Stop wriggling! You're shifting everything round ... ah, here we go." Triumphantly, she extracted a wax paper packet from the Doctor's pocket and unwrapped it to expose a cheese sandwich, crustless and trimmed neatly into four triangular quarters, which she flung into the nearby lake.

The swans erupted in a chorus of excited honks and waddled away towards the lake, dragging their weapons behind them.

"I was expecting jelly babies," Romana said, wiping her hands clean. "But all things considered, a cheese sandwich seems equally effective."

"Romana," he said happily, hugging her tight. "I'm so glad to see you. Well, I'd have been glad to see anyone as long as they saved me from weaponised swans, but I'm especially glad to see you. What are you doing here?"

"Apparently, crossing your timestream."

"Well, what I don't know won't hurt me."

"Like not knowing you need a picnicking licence on Cygnus IV?"

"Technically, that didn't hurt me either."

"Only because I happened to sense you while I was out fetching an inverted rotary coil. And I suppose I'll have to keep this encounter from you as well, though I must say, after spending time with you, my standards of propriety are getting dangerously lax."

"It's not your fault. I should have remembered I was here." He paused. "Even so, I think I like the idea of you with dangerously lax standards." Yes, that was a lovely idea, and as he recalled, one that had panned out quite fruitfully for him. "Exactly how low are they now?" he asked.

"I think I just stooped to bribery," Romana said.

"Hardly stooping at all in a situation like this. More of a gentle bend at the knee."

"Last week, you and I nearly started a civil war."

"That's more like it. Nothing like a good revolution to get the blood pumping."

"And there is one other thing ..."

"Yes?"

"Lately, I've been having these thoughts ... well ... thoughts about you, Doctor." There was a slight pink to Romana's cheeks now; not nearly as red as her outfit, but noticeable enough.

"About my rugged charm and irresistible good looks?"

"No, about your remarkable ego."

He huffed. "My ego is completely normal for a man of my unique skills and talents."

"Your ego has got us into more scrapes than I care to count," Romana said, "and you know I'm perfectly right about this."

"That's beside the point. My ego insists you must be exaggerating."

"Need I remind your ego how lucky it is I was here to save it? And here I was about to compliment you on your rugged charm and irresistible good looks."

He beamed. That was more like it. His other self would be getting lucky in that blue box any day now.

Romana's expression softened, and she rubbed the Doctor's tweedy lapel between two fingers. "I haven't really been thinking about your ego, you know," she said.

"I thought as much. But I have the benefit of knowing our future."

"I suppose you do," she said, "but not everything about it."

And he had to admit, as she leaned in to kiss him, that as usual, she was perfectly right.


End file.
